SCHOOLCHILDREN in Darlington are picking up their paintbrushes as part of a scheme to encourage children to take up reading.

Hundreds of youngsters have already read Edith Nesbit's The Railway Children, as part of the One Book for Darlington scheme.

This month, local artists are visiting schools to help children produce work on the theme.

Artists Yvonne Preston and Adam Baldwin, along with members of the Busy Ape arts group, are working with pupils over the next few weeks.

It is hoped that the youngsters' finished work will form a collage, to be displayed in the Crown Street Library.

The One Book project aims to get more people reading by involving whole groups in looking at the same title.

Chris McEwan, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "The One Book initiative is proving a great way of getting more and more people to pick up a good book.

"I hope that the hundreds of children who are taking part in the artists' workshops thoroughly enjoy the experience."